Revolving-cylinder internal-combustion engine.



A H BAIRD dz W. J. TURNER.

REVOLVING CYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1911. 1,068,297, Patented July 22, 1913.

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AIPLIOATION FILED JULY 8, 1911. 1,068,297. Patented July 22, 1913.

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REVOLVING CYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Patented July 22, 1913.

4 SHEETS-431311111 L APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW H. BAIRD AND WILLIAM J. TURNER, 0F LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1913.

Application filed July 8, 1911. Serial No. 637,514.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW HENRY BAIRD and \VILLIAM JOHN TURNER, subjects of the King of Great Britain, and residing in Liverpool, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Revolving-Cylinder Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to internal combustion engines of that type in which the cylinders themselves rotate and the object is to improve the construction of such engines by reducing the number of working parts so as to insure a compact and well balanced engine which though applicable for general purposes is specially suitable for aeroplanes.

In engines of the revolving cylinder type it is usual to connect the several pistons to a centrally arranged crank, but according to the present invention each cylinder is provided with a separate crank the bearings for which are formed in an extension of the cylinder casing on the end remote from the main axis of rotation, and each of these crank shafts is geared by epicyclic gear to a fixed central spur wheel. The cylinders, which are preferably 1 six in number, are arranged radially and are attached at their inner ends to six symmetrically arranged facings on a central chambered casting which in turn is secured to the hollow main shaft of the engine.

\Ve have illustrated an engine constructed in accordance with our invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, the upper part being in section on the line I, I, of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking from the left of Fig. 1, in section in part on the line II, II, and in part on the line IX, IX; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking from the right of Fig. l. The remaining figures are fragmentary detail views; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the central chambered casting, Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional elevations thereof on the respective lines I, I, of Fig. 2 and II, II, of Fig: l, and Fig. 7 is a conventional view, being a section on the cylindrical surface VII, VII, of Fig. i, developed into the plane of the paper. Fig. 8 is a detail of a lubricating device; Fig. 9 is an elevation of the ignition device being a section on the line IX, IX, of Fig. 1, and Figs. 10 and 11 are views showing the two positions of the exhaust cam for ahead and astern running.

Six cylinders are shown, arranged in two sets C, C C and C, C C, the cylinders of the two sets being arranged alternately as shown. These cylinders are all carried by their inner ends from facings on the central chambered casting B, which is rigidly fixed to the hollow main shaft 1. The facings form a regular hexagon so that the cylinders are spaced equally around the circle.

The main shaft 1 rotates in ball bearings 2 mounted in the fixed brackets 3 and i which are bolted down to the cross bars 5 or other suitable supports.

Each cylinder has its own crank shaft S which is carried in ball bearings S mounted in the disks S fixed in the extension 6 of the cylinder. Each crank pin is linked in the usual manner to the corresponding iston P by the connecting rod B. One en of each crank shaft has rigidly fixed to it a gear wheel which gears with the central main gear w eel G which is stationary, being integral with or 'fixed to the hood H which is integral with or fixed to the bracket l.

It will be seen that as the crank shafts S revolve, the gear wheels 9 run in an e icyclic manner around the central gear wieel G, carrying the cylinders around and with them the maln shaft.1, from which the power is taken in any convenient manner.

The gear wheel G is twice the diameter of the wheels g, so that the shaft 1 makes one revolution for two revolutions of the shafts S, and thus the ignition and exhaust valve actions can be controlled by attachments fixed to the stationary art of the engine frame, the arrangement iieing equivalent in function, so far as these actions are concerned, to the usual two-tonne cam shaft devices fitted in engines of the ordinary chambers has its own inlet valve V and V respectively, and its own exhaust valve E and E respectively. The inlet valves communicate with. the interior ofthe hollow main shaft 1, through which the working mixture of air and gas or vapour is ad mitted, the mixture and regulation being effected prior to entering the shaft cavity.

The exhaust valves E and E deliver through the passages F and F respectively into the exhaust ring pipe 7 which is fixed to and revolves with the central casting B. The outer periphery of this pipe is perforatedwith a large number of small holes through which the exhaust escapes in finely divided jets, the arrangement thus acting as a silencer. It will be seen therefore that each set of three alternately disposed cylinders is controlled by the one inlet and the one exhaust valve, and that the explosive charge for each of the three cylinders in a set is exploded at the same time; each of the pistons of each set will therefore have to make its respective exhaust, suction, compression and working strokes simultaneously.

As there are six cylinders arranged as de scribed in two sets of three, it will be seen that any diametrally opposite pair will comprise one. cylinder. of each set; the pistons of each of the said diametrally opposite pairs also are arranged to make their instrokes and out-strokes simultaneously, but while one piston is making its working outstroke the other may be making its nonworking out-stroke.

From the description given it will be obvious that only one sparking device with two sparking plugs is necessary, one for each set of three cylinders, and in Fig. 1 the two sparking plugs K and K are shown, arranged diametrically opposite, being screwed into tapped bosses k on the end of the central casting B.

8 is the ignitionadvancing arm ful-' crumed concentrically with the shaft and stationary except in so far as it is angularly adjustable by the rod 9 for advancing or retarding the ignition. It carries the insu lated spring arm 10 the end of which trails over the conducting segments 11 separated by the insulated segments 12 mounted on the shaft 1. This arrangement provides for the make-and-break of the primary circuit twice in the revolution.

13 is an. insulated sparking plate fixed on the arm 8 and arranged so that the sparking plugs K and K sweep closely past it at each revolution. The circuit of the secondary or trembling coil is led to the plate 13, the other end being led to the engine frame in the ordinary way.

Each time the primary circuit is broken by the spring arm 10, one of the sparking plugs K or K is close to the plate 13, and the current sparks across the gap vto the sparking plug where the spark in the compression space causes the ignition in the usual way.

While a single sparking device with two sparking plugs is suflicient we prefer usually to duplicate or even triplicate the sparking devices, as with our construction duplicate sparking plugs only necessitate the use of four plugs for the six cylinders, or with the triplicate arrangement, six plugs for the six cylinders; ig t-his respect our invention has a very considerable advantage, especially in the case of aeroplane motors where the usual cause of. failure is defective sparking, and where it is impractical to avoid this in the ordinary construction of engine by duplicate or triplicate plugs, since this would mean twelve and eighteen sparking plugs respectively.

When a duplicate or triplicate sparking arrangement is provided, we may also duplicate or triplicate the coil or magneto arrangement for producing the sparks.

A high tension magneto may be added as a triplicate, or of course all the several sets of plugs may be connected to different sparking devices of the same type.

The inlet valves may be mechanically op erated but we prefer usually to arrange them to be automatically operated by the suction as shown in Fig. 1. The exhaust valves are however mechanically operated, and as they rotate with the cylinders we operate them by a fixed cam.

The exhaust valves E and E are shown with their spindles arranged parallel to the axis .of rotation, so that they are adapted to be operated by the disk cam 14. This cam has one raised portion 15 ramped off at each end, (see Figs. 10 and 11) with which the endsoi the exhaust valves engage alternately at each revolution, Fig. 10 showing diagrammatically the four strokes of the cycle for ahead running, .9 being the suction, c the compression, w the working, and e the exhaust stroke.

By comparing Fig. 11 with Fig. 10 it will be seen that it is only necessary to turn the cam through rather more than a right angle in order to alter the exhaust valve action so that the engine will then reverse and run astern. This reversal is effected by the reversing rod 16, articulated to the pin 17 on the cam 14, working through the clearance slot 18 in the hood H, which serves as a shield for the exhaust valves and exhaust pipe. Although not so shown, the gear wheels 9 and G would usually be inclosed by a suitable guard.

The lubricating arrangement is as follows ;An oil inlet pipe 19 is fitted to each cylinder and the six oil inlets so formed are connected to a ring pipe 20 having a peripheral slit 21 along its inner edge through which the oil is introduced by the pipe 22.

nose-29v As the pipes19 and 20 rotate with the cylinders, the centrifugal action carries the oil outwardly and distributes it equally to the six cylinders. In order to regulate the oil supply we prefer to fit a small ball valve 23 to each inlet pipe 19 as shown in Fig. 8. This valve has two seat-s, the outer one consisting of several nibs 24, and the inner one 25 being continuous. v Normally, when the engine is running, the valve is seated by centrifugal force on its outer seating which permits a sufiicient oil supply and allows the pipe 20 to be kept well supplied without giving an excess of oil. The function of the inner seating 25 is to prevent back pressure from blowing any oil out of the pipe 20.

It will be seen that the arrangement described forms a compact symmetrically arranged structure, and that the auxiliary working parts are very considerably reduced in number and simplified, the usual separate two-to-one shaft being unnecessary with our construction.

The cylinders and the parts attached thereto form a comparatively heavy flywheel and, as in other engines of the rotating cylinder type, obviate the necessity for a separate fly-wheel with its additional weight. Owing to the symmetry of the arrangement, the parts are well balanced, and balance weights such as 26 in the gears g are provided where necessary to balance any moving masses not otherwise balanced.

It will be seen that in virtue of the construction according to this invention the sparking plugs are centrally located and quite clear of oil forced outwardly by centrifugal force, and that the oil and petrol feeds are independent ;points of considerable importance in rotating cylinder engines.

The invention may be modified in respect to arrangement and details, for instance all the pistons need not move outwardly and inwardly simultaneously, since provided that the pistons of each set of cylinders do this, the working strokes of the pistons of the several sets may be made at equally spaced intervals during a revolution of the cylinders.

The gear wheels need not be of a ratio of two-to-one but may be of any desired ratio and in some cases they may be replaced by other gearing.

lVhere the speed of the engine is such as to give rise to centrifugal forces greater than can be sustained safely by the means attaching the cylinders C to the central portion B, connecting lugs 6*, as shown in Fig. 2 between two of the cylinders, may be formed on each cylinder and be bolted together to unite the cylinders together circumferentially.

Having noW fully described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A revolving cylinder engine in combination; a plurality of groups of rotatable cylinders, a piston, connecting-rod and crankshaft for each cylinder, a gear wheel on each crank shaft, a fixed gear wheel with which the revolving gear wheels mesh, a plurality of groups of central rotatable chambers the several chambers of each group communicating with each other and with the several cylinders of a group, inlet and exhaust valves and a sparking device for each group of chambers, and means for operating the valves and sparking device; substantially as described.

2. A revolving cylinder engine in combination; a plurality of groups of rotatable cylinders, a piston, connecting rod and crank-shaft for each cylinder, a gear wheel on each crank shaft, a fixed gear wheel with which the revolving gear wheels mesh, a plurality of groups of central rotatable chambers the several chambers of a group communicating with each other and with the several cylinders of a group, inletand exhaust valves and a sparking device for each group of chambers, and means for operating the valves and sparking devices; substantially as described.

3. In a revolving cylinder engine in com bination; a plurality of rotatable cylinders, each having a piston, connecting rod, crank shaft and gear wheel on the crank shaft, a central gear wheel with which the crank shaft gear wheels mesh, a central rotatable chamber member comprising two groups of communicating chambers, said chambers in turn communicating with said cylinders and provided with control valves and ignition device, a hollow main shaft fixed to the central member the interior of which communicates with the said groups of communicating chambers, and means for oper ating the control valves and the ignition device; substantially as described.

4. In arevolving cylinder engine in combination ;a plurality of rotatable cylinders each having a piston, connecting rod, crank shaft and gear wheel on the crank shaft, a

central gear wheel with which the crank shaft gear wheels mesh, a plurality of rotatable chambers each communicating with a group of said cylinders, a hollow main shaft fixed to the said chambers the interior of which shaft cominunicates with each of the said chambers, control valves and ignition devices for each said chamber, and means for operating them; substantially as described.

5. In a revolving cylinder eng ne in combination;--a plurality of rotatable cylinders each having a piston, connecting rod, crank shaft and gear wheel on the crank shaft, a central gear wheel with which the crank shaft gear wheels mesh, a plurality of groups of rotatable chambers each group communicating with a group of said cylinders, a hollow main shaft fixed to the said chambers the interior of which shaft communicates with each of the said groups of chambers, control valves and ignition devices for each of the said groups of chambers, and means for operating them said gear wheels being meshed with the central gear wheel to produce simultaneous outstrokes of the pistons, and the pistons of one group making a working outstroke while the pistons of the other group make a suction stroke; substantially as described.

I 6. In a revolving cylinder engine in combination with a central fixed wheel, groups of rotatable cylinders, pistons, connecting rods, crank shafts and gear wheels meshing with the central gear wheel, a central chamber divided into a plurality of groups of chambers each group communicating with one of said groups of cylinders arranged in the one plane, and each provided with control valves and an ignition device, and means for operating them; substantially as described. v

7. In a revolving cylinder engine in combination with a central fixed wheel, groups of rotatable cylinders, pistons, connecting rods, crank shafts and gear wheels meshing with the central gear wheel, a central hollow shaft, groups of central chambers mounted on said shaft and divided into a plurality of groups of chambers each group communicating with the interior of said shaft and with groups of cylinders and each provided with control valves and ignition device, and means for operating them..

8. In a revolving cylinder engine in combination with a central fixed wheel, groups of rotatable cylinders, pistons, connecting rods, crank shafts and gear wheels meshing with the central gear Wheel said wheel having twice as many teeth as there are on each rotatable gear wheel, a central hollow shaft, two groups of central chambers fixed to said shaft each group comniunicating through inlet valves with the interior of the said hollow shaft and with alternate cylinders, a control valve in each group of chambers said valves being diametrally oppositely located, an ignition device in each group of chambers said devices being diametrally oppositely located, a single 'cam to operate both control valves and a single spark distributing device to operate both sparking devices; substantially as described.

9. In a revolving cylinder engine in combination with a central fixed wheel, rotatable cylinders, pistons, connecting rods, crank shafts and gear wheels meshing with the central gear wheel, groups of central rotatable chambers, each group provided with a control valve communicatin with a hollow shaft, a sparking device for each group, and a second control valve arranged at the end of each group of chambers, and adapted to be operated by a rotatable valve operating device, substantially as described.

10. In a revolving cylinder engine in combination with a central fixed wheel, rotatable cylinders, pistons, connecting rods, crank shafts, and gear wheels meshing with the central gear wheel, a central rotatable member comprising two groups of communicating chambers, each group of said groups of chambers provided with a control valve communicating with a hollow shaft, and also provided with an exhaust control valve in communication with a perforated ring rigidly connected to said groups of chambers and revolving therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony, whereof, we afliX our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREIV H. BAIRD. WILLIAM J. TURNER. Witnesses:

J. E. LLOYD BARNES, A. S. ALLEN. 

